The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-03-09


The doctor looked grave, and predicted
fever, which soon set in. We made the
patient as comfortable as possible, furnish
ing his room with whatever could be spared,
and inducing the coachman and gardener
to take turns at nursing him-though Gerry
insisted on experimenting everything per-
tanning to the sick chamber in a few
days Ichabod was convalescent though
very feeble.
III.
AS our patient began to mend he seemed
quite proud OF the transformation that had
been effected in his room, and to find him
self installed there in any easy chair before
pleasant CRATE stove which had been pro-
vided, for it was November now, and the
mountain airs were raw and chilly.
He was sitting thus by the fire, with his
sad eyes taking in the landscape, when
Gerty and called to see him on certain
morning he had set as the occasion upon
which he would tell us his history.
I'm so weak, SIR" said he at last, "that
I'll have to tell my story by fits and starts,
/ reckon. My father is still in business in
Buffalo, and he must be mighty rich by
this time. Leastwise, he's always been a
foremost manufacturer of tin and japanned
ware-right at the top of the heap-and /
never knew him TO waste anything on him
self or his household. My mother died
when l was baby, and I'm an only child.
l never was smait, and, not having had
much kindness, grew up from being dull,
slow motioned boy, to being rather
dreamy, dumb-headed young man, when
my father, after putting me through the
tin shops, took me into his factory Office.
I'm not sure whether l was a natural born
fool, or if the queer, lost kind of feeling
that now and then took hold of my head
was due to an accident that befell me when
l was a little shaver, when l came mighty
near being drowned, and was only fetched
back to life at the last moment. My father
took the natural born view of it. Anyway,
he was tearing hard on me. He used to
cuff me around to his hearts content when
ever anything went wrong, and was never
tired complimenting Inc with such such
epithets as 'Jackass,' Land Tortoise
Small Hopes, and the like. suppose he
was about right. Anything like mathe-
mates was always knotty puzzle for me.
and / was unable to touch the accounts
without botching em.
AT last my father gave up trying to
make a clerk of me-, and sent me out as a
travelling agent to solicit orders among the
country towns. AT this sort of thing / sue
ceeded much better. The open-air exer-
else of travelling from place TO place, by
boat, car, buggy, or wagon, agreed with me
first-rate. My head got more settled, and,
as l was gentle and unassuming, l mostly
made friends of the country folks. Indeed,
did so well at the start that even the gov
ernor said in my hearing after my return
that there might be some go in that Junk
head son of his, after all; at which l real
ly began to feel encouraged.
But about this time there came TO live
with us Selma Graves. She was distant
cousin of mine, suddenly left without par
ents or friends in a PARKWAY down East
village. My father took it into his head to
befriend her, with the idea that she might
in time take the drudging- place of old Mrs.
Lump, our housekeeper, who was growing
more rheumatic and useless every day. But,
shrewd as the governor was, he was out in
his calculations for once in his life, at
least.
"Selina was very handsome and spirited
woman, and she possessed even more force
of character than good looks. The old man
was soon "a helplessly under her thumb as
l was. Instead of taking Mrs. Jumps
place, Selma hired another servant, besides
retaining the old woman. and soon installed
herself as the capricious mistress of the
establishment.
My father rebelled at first, but finally
gave in TO her in everything. As for me, /
was overjoyed with the change from the
outset. We began to enjoy the good things
of life, like other well-to-do people. In
few months Selma and were secretly en-
gagged TO be married-secretly, you know,
because the governor didn't seem to relish
our taking up with each other. But that
brief period was the only happiness have
ever known. Selma pretended to return
my passion as we'll as she knew how-she
isn't of the warm or clinging sort, by the
way-while I-ohl can't tell you how
loved her."
Here the narrator paused. and looked
more intently out on the river, as though to
concentrate his thoughts.
Don't try to tell us, Ichabod, don't try"
said Gerry, in her most solemn.a and owlish
vein of emphasis. "Such sentiments are
Sacred, and should be clustered in inmost
! Silence"
Thank you, Miss Gertrude" said Flot-
sam, gratefully. "We1l, as i was a-saying,
things went on this way for good many
months, during which 1 made several bGsi-
ness trips, only TO hurry back to love and
| Joy. / could often see that the governor
didn't like il. He never made any decided
objections, however, save to grow Cross and
restless when Selma and l were much to-
gether. Still, don't think he ever i'm
agined there was any actual engagement be-
\ tween us.
AT last ] set out on the most extensive